The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-03
A TEST OF The PALAfKA WORKS
Capable of Throwing Streams Over
Any Building Here.
Trial Of the Hydsaats Yesterday An Account Of the
WORKS -hov the Project csss from
An Idea to . Fact.

We're thrown from the hydrant at the
corner of Front and Lemon streets. One
stream was directed up Front street in
front of the Putnam House; the other
down Lemon street towards the river.
Both the streams We're thrown about la0
feet at the same time.
Then the hydrant at the corner Of Reid
and Front streets was tested. First two
streams were thrown from il, and then
one was taken off and one tried alone.
1t threw a stream about 130 feet, and,
when sent upward. the stream reached
an elevation a great deal higher than the
Putnam House, thus proving that the
hydrants were good enough for all prac-
teal purposes. In case Of fire the hy-
drants are all that are required, as they
can throw a stream of water over any
building in Palatka. AS final test, two
streams were thrown on Lemon street,
east and west. and two more from the
plug at Reid and Front streets. Each of
the four streams threw water about l20
feet. all going at once.
THE WATER WORKS.
The Water Works are situated in Pa
Palatka. and the stand pipe, where the
water is pumped. before it goes into the
pipes, is about the same distance from
the pump house. The water is pumped
into the stand pipe, which holds about
200 900 gallons of water, and Is let into
the pipes from there. The stand pipe
will be kept full 6f water always ready
for use in case of fire; although the
pipes can be filled direct from the works
by the pumps if necessary, with pressure
enough to burst any hose that can be put
on the hydrant
There are two boilers of 30 horse power
each, and two pumps of - horse power
each, with capacity of l.OOO.OOO gallons
per day. One of the pumps is "A com
pound condensing pump. being run in
connection with a condenser, and is in
tended for common use. The other is a
high pressure pump and will only be
used in case of an emergency, or when
the other is being repaired.
The boilers came from the works Of
Henry r. Worthington at Boston. and
the pumps came from the manufactu-
rer's works at New York.
The canal or reservoir, from which this
water is pumped into the stand pipe. is
about 200 feet long and six feet deep and
about ten feet wide at the top, being a
little smaller at the bottom, and has a
plank bottom. the sides being walled up
with brick. The canal holds about 800,
600 gallons of water. which is kept in
constant motion, running in at one end
of the canal and out ~ the other end at
There is another smaller canal (aboui
100 feet in Lengthy that leads from the
| main canal to the pumps, from which
the water is pumped up the hill into the
stand pipe, which is about half a mile
from the pump house
| THE WATER SUPPLY.
| White Water Branch supplies flow
of .OOO, 900, gallons of water per diem
fed by springs. The water is very sof
and has a pleasant taste, being Of /;
bright. clear color. 1t has to pass through
a fine wire screen before going tn TIM
pumps, said screen being at the mouth o
| the arm of the canal that leads to TIN
pumps. 50 that it is impossible for an,
filth. leaves, stickS or anything of tina
kind to pass beyond the canal, thus in
surfing clean water.
The engine house is built of brick, an'
is divided into two departments, the en-
gine room and the boiler room. the Who'll
being "A by % feet. The chimney stacl
is 81 feet i'm height.
The coal house is situated at one sid
of the engine house. the two building
peing about Is feet apart, and has ca
pacity Of go tons Of coal. being 32 fee
by 20.
THE STAND PIPE
The stand pipe is - feet in height. ol
"A solid masonry foundation, and II bull
of wrought iron from one-half to- three
fourths of an inch thick. There is Al
iron ladder which runs up on one side o
the tower. and an iron walk or veran
,Iah around the top with AN iron railing
so that any person who can climb at a
can climb up and get splendid view O
the surrounding country. The stan'
pipe can be filled with water in abou
five hours by the pump. Ii holds abou
2O0. 900 gallons.
There are about seven and "A half o
eight miles of pipe laid at present. fron
four To six inches in interior diameter
The works at present will supply fifty
nine hydrants. fifty in Palatka. four i
Palatka Heights and five to private indi
viduals.
The ground all around the Water
Works is drained with tile thoroughly
and the water is run off through foul
inch pipe below the canal. 50 that ther
is no possibility whatever of the surfac
water getting into the canal or reservoir
THE ORIGIN OF THE WORKS.
The idea of a system of water work
presented itself to Mr.. Chas. Cnderwoos
the vice-president of the company. abot
six years ago He noticed that Whit
Water Greek, which forms part Of I'll
canal now, was fed from several sprins
which never ceased flowing. even in ii
dryest kind of weather The idea struc
him that it could be put to use. and
, the means of furnishing water for watt
, works. He then tried TO buy the Lam
: which was owned by different partie
and about five years ago he succeeded
buying forty acres from Mr.. n. p. Whit
which took in the lower part of Il
branch or creek. where it empties into